Lactose

Description

A double sugar molecule found naturally in milk solids. Lactose powder has a sweet taste and is used in infant foods and ice cream. It is also used as a sorbent in liquid chromatography.

Synonyms and Related Terms

4-o-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-D-glucose; milk sugar; saccharum lactis; lactin

Risks

• No known hazards.
• Fisher Scientific: SDS

Physical and Chemical Properties

Soluble in water. Slightly soluble in ethanol. Insoluble in ether and chloroform.

Composition	C12H32O11-H2O
CAS	63-42-3
Melting Point	201-202 C
Density	1.525 g/ml
Molecular Weight	mol. wt. = 342.30
Boiling Point	(dec)

Resources and Citations

• Thomas Gregory, The Condensed Chemical Dictionary, Reinhold Publishing, New York, 3rd ed., 1942

• The Merck Index, Martha Windholz (ed.), Merck Research Labs, Rahway NJ, 10th edition, 1983 Comment: entry 5356